


Through the Valley

by dirkharley



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Blackwatch Era, M/M, Time Skips
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-03
Updated: 2018-09-03
Packaged: 2019-07-03 16:18:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,238
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15822510
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dirkharley/pseuds/dirkharley
Summary: Three times Jesse McCree tried to leave Blackwatch, and the three ways Gabriel Reyes responded.





	Through the Valley

**Author's Note:**

  * For [crookedfingers](https://archiveofourown.org/users/crookedfingers/gifts).



> this is a thank you fic for a donation to ECPAT international as part of the [mcreyes charity event](https://mcreyes4charity.tumblr.com/). a pdf of all the art & fics for the event is being put together on gumroad, with all proceeds going to ECPAT as well!
> 
> many thanks to [Geromy](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Geromy/) for the beta! ♥

The first time Jesse McCree tried to leave Blackwatch, he’d barely stepped foot out of his holding cell before making a break for it. Less than twenty-four hours had passed since Gabriel had made his offer, and a worse-for-wear McCree all but spat his begrudging assent. There had been no sugar-coating the consequences if the new recruit went back on his word - but apparently, he hadn’t taken them completely seriously.

Blackwatch was still no more than a fledgling subsidiary of Overwatch proper, so it fell upon Gabriel himself to make short work of retrieving his new asset before the news got out (God help him if Jack heard about this). As luck would have it, a delirious wannabe cowboy with three cracked ribs made for a terrible runaway. Though he did insist on putting up one hell of a fight - enough so that upon walking into the medical bay the next day, the nurse had to make considerable adjustments to his condition report.

But without the manpower to station someone at McCree’s bedside, Gabriel had to decide: risk another attempted getaway, or donate his own time to keeping an eye on this criminal he’d made a gamble on in the first place? The latter seemed like less paperwork in the end, which is how the fastidious former hero of the Omnic Crisis found himself setting up a makeshift office at the entrance to a medical bay - and how he became acutely familiar with the particular scowl McCree reserved for him.

But he found that by month’s end, he’d managed to sneak a smile into its place.

—

The second time Jesse McCree tried to leave Blackwatch, it was years later. The organization had grown beyond its handful of tight-knit assets into a fully realized force to be reckoned with. Despite that, Overwatch was (as always) “struggling” to give them the funding they needed. There was more shit to do than competent people to do it, most days. And Jesse was sick of almost dying in the field and getting back to base only to be handed a half-functioning biotic and told to suck it up.

Despite having earned his loyalty, it had started feeling less like he’d carved out a place in the ranks, and more like he was in prison. And he’d spent plenty of time inside those for one lifetime, thanks. Especially when this was supposed to be the _alternative_.

So when he received his next assignment - an undercover gig in the middle of a bustling metropolis - he decided that would be it. He’d done his time as a glorified hired gun, and something had to give. Once the mission was accomplished, he broke off from his team, following the route he’d memorized along side streets and underpasses to get him as far from their pickup as possible. Provided he could lay low somewhere for the night, he’d hop the morning train heading south out of town. Then he’d be home free.

Naturally, Reyes’ distinctive footsteps caught up with him as soon as he made a wrong turn.

Jesse swore at himself, doing a quick scan of the alley for an escape route, despite knowing the futility in trying to outrun a goddamn super soldier. All that did was confirm he’d hit a dead end, tall and unforgiving brick walls on either side and a featureless block of cement blocking the way ahead of him.

Cornered and out of options, Jesse turned to face his fate. He’d probably get whatever Blackwatch’s equivalent of a court martial was, not to mention a verbal lashing the likes of which he’d never had before - if he even made it out of this in one piece.

What he got instead was the least menacing look he’d ever seen on Commander Reyes’ face - was that something like relief? - and an accompanying slump to his shoulders that made the man look more tired than he had any right to.

“Looks like you got lost on the way to the rendezvous point.” Reyes deadpanned, his mouth curling into a smirk that hardly reached his eyes.

Jesse did his best to shake the tension that pulled his shoulders taut, trying for as casual a stance as possible.

“Yeah, must’ve taken a wrong turn somewhere.”

Reyes _hmmed_ in response, but he made no move to come closer, nor to sidestep out of Jesse’s way. He figured, now or never, he may as well push his luck.

“Not that I don’t ‘ppreciate you comin’ to find me, but ‘m sure they need you back sooner than me. I can find my way from here.”

His Commander’s face darkened, eyes flicking up to meet Jesse’s. This expression was closer to what he’d come to expect, if a little more intense around the edges.

“I know what you’re doing, Jesse,” Reyes said, wetting his lips nervously. “I know what this is.”

The unfamiliar softness that accompanied his first name was enough to cause him to exhale heavily. He recovered as quickly as he could manage, sculpting his internal bafflement into an easy smile.

“Afraid I don’t follow.”

Despite the nonchalant tone he slid into, Jesse found he had to ground himself against the cool surface of the wall behind him, gloved hands scratching methodically along its rough edges.

“You’re leaving.” Reyes said simply. “You’ve given up.”

“Hey now, I’m no - ”

“I’m not calling you a coward, if that’s what you’re about to refute.”

Jesse felt his brow crease, tried his best to keep from looking as hurt as he felt.

“Ain’t much else you could be saying.”

“Well, it’s not that.” Reyes had such a way of dismissing him without even _saying_ so. It was starting to piss him off.

“Then why don’t you just say what it _is_ , instead of cat-an’-mousing?”

Reyes just stood there, and his stare felt like it could burn a hole right through to the concrete.

The jarring ring of Reyes’ communicator cut roughly through the silence, and whatever the moment was that they’d been dancing around having was thoroughly ruined.

“I won’t ask any more of you than you’re willing to give,” he said finally, breaking eye contact to pull out the offending piece of technology. “But I will ask you to consider sticking around. Doesn’t have to be for Overwatch, or even the greater good. But for me.”

He lifted the comm to his mouth, muttering a quick response in before sliding it away again. His eyes lifted back up towards Jesse’s, but stopped just shy of meeting them.

A beat. Reyes shifted, turning to leave.

“Alright,” Jesse called despite himself, swallowing a shaky breath and something else he didn’t dare name. “Alright.”

He let his eyes droop closed, leaning his head against the grimy wall behind him. A stance of resignation.

“You got my word, boss. I ain’t leaving again.”

—

The last time Jesse McCree tried to leave Blackwatch, he left behind nothing but empty quarters and his credentials thrown on Gabriel’s desk. Despite attempts to track him down, there was no sign of where he could’ve gone. It didn’t take long to realize he’d left for good, this time.

It would be years before the nameless ache that sat low in Gabriel’s chest would twist and contort and come together as the ugly, formless rage that fuelled the Reaper’s mission. But he knew long before then that the next time he faced McCree, it wouldn’t be to bring him home.


End file.
